Bilal Muhammad

natural heart natural skill natural hard work that got me here wow you started at 23 yeah yeah and how old are you now 36 how did you start i was in college i was i was at u of i and i was just like going to be a lawyer and then uh like i said i wrestled at high school uh in south side of chicago and we had a coach there uh lewis taylor and uh he like left after like one year because we were

It wasn't the best school. They didn't really care about the wrestling team. And then he was, like, gone. And I was like, whatever happened to him? But he was, like, that cool young coach that you had a connection with. And then when I was in college, I randomly saw him in a newspaper. And he was fighting for Strikeforce. So then I just, like, reached out to him on Facebook.

It wasn't the best school. They didn't really care about the wrestling team. And then he was, like, gone. And I was like, whatever happened to him? But he was, like, that cool young coach that you had a connection with. And then when I was in college, I randomly saw him in a newspaper. And he was fighting for Strikeforce. So then I just, like, reached out to him on Facebook.

It wasn't the best school. They didn't really care about the wrestling team. And then he was, like, gone. And I was like, whatever happened to him? But he was, like, that cool young coach that you had a connection with. And then when I was in college, I randomly saw him in a newspaper. And he was fighting for Strikeforce. So then I just, like, reached out to him on Facebook.

And I was like, bro, you're a fighter? And he's like, yeah, man, I'm a fighter. I train at this gym. And it ended up being, like, near my parents' house. So whenever I would come home on the weekends, I would go see him, visit him. And then we would train a little bit.

And I was like, bro, you're a fighter? And he's like, yeah, man, I'm a fighter. I train at this gym. And it ended up being, like, near my parents' house. So whenever I would come home on the weekends, I would go see him, visit him. And then we would train a little bit.

And I was like, bro, you're a fighter? And he's like, yeah, man, I'm a fighter. I train at this gym. And it ended up being, like, near my parents' house. So whenever I would come home on the weekends, I would go see him, visit him. And then we would train a little bit.

and then uh he just started teaching me a little bit and he started teaching me a little bit more so every weekend i would come home then i transferred to a closer college here started training more full time and then i was like let me take an amateur fight so after like three or four months of training with them i got an amateur fight And then I was locked in. Here in Chicago? Yeah.

and then uh he just started teaching me a little bit and he started teaching me a little bit more so every weekend i would come home then i transferred to a closer college here started training more full time and then i was like let me take an amateur fight so after like three or four months of training with them i got an amateur fight And then I was locked in. Here in Chicago? Yeah.

and then uh he just started teaching me a little bit and he started teaching me a little bit more so every weekend i would come home then i transferred to a closer college here started training more full time and then i was like let me take an amateur fight so after like three or four months of training with them i got an amateur fight And then I was locked in. Here in Chicago? Yeah.

I was hooked. My hand got raised. I won the fight. But I was addicted to it. I have an addictive personality. When I do something, I go super hard. I go all in with it. So then I was like... I could always go back to college. I always finished college, go to law school, whatever. But I'm like, let's see how far we can go with this. We started training. We started working. And then...

I was hooked. My hand got raised. I won the fight. But I was addicted to it. I have an addictive personality. When I do something, I go super hard. I go all in with it. So then I was like... I could always go back to college. I always finished college, go to law school, whatever. But I'm like, let's see how far we can go with this. We started training. We started working. And then...

I was hooked. My hand got raised. I won the fight. But I was addicted to it. I have an addictive personality. When I do something, I go super hard. I go all in with it. So then I was like... I could always go back to college. I always finished college, go to law school, whatever. But I'm like, let's see how far we can go with this. We started training. We started working. And then...

I went pro after three amateur fights. And I said, we're just going until we lose. And then we got to 9-0. We won a tight NFC belt. And then we got signed to the UFC short notice. What was it like getting signed to the UFC? How did you find out and stuff? They called me. It was during Ramadan.

I went pro after three amateur fights. And I said, we're just going until we lose. And then we got to 9-0. We won a tight NFC belt. And then we got signed to the UFC short notice. What was it like getting signed to the UFC? How did you find out and stuff? They called me. It was during Ramadan.

I went pro after three amateur fights. And I said, we're just going until we lose. And then we got to 9-0. We won a tight NFC belt. And then we got signed to the UFC short notice. What was it like getting signed to the UFC? How did you find out and stuff? They called me. It was during Ramadan.

And I was like fasting and they called me for... It was like three or four week notice to fight Alan Joban. And at the time, he was a big name. He had a good streak. And I'm undefeated. I just won a bout. Who called you from there? It was my manager. Okay. Yeah. So then I was like, let's go. Because...

And I was like fasting and they called me for... It was like three or four week notice to fight Alan Joban. And at the time, he was a big name. He had a good streak. And I'm undefeated. I just won a bout. Who called you from there? It was my manager. Okay. Yeah. So then I was like, let's go. Because...

And I was like fasting and they called me for... It was like three or four week notice to fight Alan Joban. And at the time, he was a big name. He had a good streak. And I'm undefeated. I just won a bout. Who called you from there? It was my manager. Okay. Yeah. So then I was like, let's go. Because...

was like at three and oh and i want to try it off the ultimate fighter didn't make it i was at six you know tried off the ultimate fighter didn't make it and then i kept winning on the thing i was like man are they ever gonna call me i'm never gonna get the shot and then once i finally get that call you're like this is it this is my spot i'm gonna make it and it was in vegas it was that uh it was like an international fight week two where they had like three events on friday saturday sunday and uh i fought on friday